Midwest Front Patio Open House
INSIDE : There is nothing like the beauty of an inviting Midwest front porch. Get ready to be inspired by this whimsical red, white and blue Front Patio Open House!
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This post has been updated since it’s original August 2013 publish date.
Today I am starting a new series where I interview friends and share their beautiful homes with you all! Today we are starting with a dear family friend, Shelley Martin. She so graciously let me come over, take pictures of her front Patio and do a quick interview!
Welcome to the front patio of a dear dear family friend. My mama became besties with this talented lady back in I want to say, 1984… so it’s been nearly my entire lifetime.
As I’ve grown up, I’ve seen Shelley’s style change and evolve over the years and it’s no surprise that she’s turned her current home into a beauty. She is a mother to three adult children and a Nona to nine adorable grand children!
Ok, let’s not waste any more time chatting, we’ve got some greatness to check out.
Classic Midwest Front Patio with a twist
A classic Midwest front patio often features a concrete slab, sometimes it is stained or has stone or brick installed. You often will find a few steps leading up to the patio from the sidewalk and perhaps a small retaining wall or flower bed lining the edge.
The patio itself might be adorned with potted plants, a colorful welcome mat and perhaps a small table and chairs for enjoying a morning cup of coffee or an evening breeze.
The style is typically simple, functional and welcoming – reflecting the Midwestern values of practicality and hospitality!
Q: What are your favorite parts of the front patio?
A: My favorite parts are the overall welcoming and happy look! We’ve actually spied two different times since our recent updates, when ladies have pulled in our driveway to show their friends or actually tip toed into the front yard and snap a few pics. Haha! That really is the highest compliment!
Q: Do you use the space for anything other than as an entry to your home?
A: We used to sit out on our front porch a lot more, but not as much now that we have a nice backyard patio.
Midwest Brick Patio
Midwest brick patios offer timeless appeal that blends seamlessly with the region’s classic architectural style. The varied colors and textures of bricks create a warm and inviting atmosphere, adding visual interest to your outdoor space.
Plus, brick is a classic material that ages gracefully and develops a patina over time that only enhances its charm. Brick patios can be customized to fit any style, from traditional to modern, making them a great choice for Midwestern homes.
Did I mention, her husband, Mike is an incredible brick mason? He designed and installed the front sitting wall (painted it the same gray color as the house and added a limestone cap), the brick terrace over concrete, the step leading to the door and the thin brick veneer on the porch.
It was originally a painted concrete slab without enough depth to allow for a full sized brick veneer, so he used a thin brick veneer. He did an incredible job, it really turned out amazingly!
Okay, let’s take a step closer and really see the space.
DIY Front Porch Awning
Shelley is a wonderful seamstress and made this adorable red and white striped awning herself! Let’s take a look at how she did it.
I started by sewing a basic curtain valance. Then, I measured the width of our front porch, along with how low I ideally wanted it to hang. I had to take into consideration that people were going to be walking underneath it went coming to our front door. It ended up being a 9″ drop.
Then I searched the house for a round item that I could trace the scallop edge onto the fabric. I settled on a 9″ wooden embroidery hoop and traced the scallop design I wanted. If you’ve ever sewn a curved edge, you know you have to make little snips along the seam allowance of the curves to get them to lay flat once you turn it right side out. This was the worst part about making it double sided. Snipping 105 inches of curve took me forever.
I then used an Ikea curtain rod that was long enough to hang it from and enough curtain clips in the junk drawer.
Voila! A use-what-I-already-had project that I think really made a cute difference to my front entrance.
Whimsical Front Door Curb Appeal
As you know, creating a lovely curb appeal often starts with your front door. Shelley opted to paint her front door a fun contrasting color to her red and white accent colors.
She used Valspar, Fiesta Blue 5003-10A. Such a fun vibrant blue color to really pop against her gray brick color. I talk all about Giving your Curb Appeal a fresh look with front doors in this post.
Other beautiful elements that Shelley used in this whimsical Midwest patio are pops of red in a front door wreath, decorative water can and a red accent pillow on her black metal bench.
I love how she tied in greenery in potted ferns and other plants.
I love it all. From the small details, to the colors that are so perfect and inviting. It just goes to show how taking a bit of time and a few DIY projects can really transform a space and front patio to a lovely space to sit and enjoy the outdoors!
Thanks for joining today!
Want to see some of the other cool Open House inspirational spaces? Check these out…